2015-16 Minnesota High School Nordic Season Preview

November 8, 2015

The 2015-16 high school Nordic season promises to be filled with changes on a number of levels this year. Overall, expect big changes in the team qualifying for the State Meet as a major section shakeup has occurred. At the individual level, the boys class saw 16th of the top 25th from last year’s champion graduate, ensuring a lot of opportunity for new stars this year. The girls field is nearly the opposite, with only six graduates out of the top 25, which will make the battle for the top even more intense. And one of the most popular and historic high school meets of the season, the Holiday Relays, will be switching to a new compressed format (two classic legs followed by two skate).

Girls classical start, Holiday Relays, December 14, 2013

Section 1:
Burnsville enters the section this season, which fits with much of the conference racing action. Margie Freed, Eastview, and Kelly Koch, Burnsville, should rule for the girls with Patrick Acton and Ryan Steger, both Eagan, and Nate Blichfeldt the top horses for the boys. Eastview and Burnsville girls are the State Meet favorites, with Eagan and Winona front runners for the boys. One name to watch out for: Grace Ping, Winona Cotter, who made history at the 2015 Minnesota State CC Meet, should be racing the high school circuit as a 7th grade prodigy this year.

Section 2:
This section underwent enormous change, with nine teams moving to other sections, replaced by seven additions. Eden Prairie is one of those perennial superpowers, and could advance both boys and girls teams to State. Minneapolis Southwest also cranks out strong teams year in and year out, and could match the Eden Prairie pairing, though undoubtedly Edina hopes to have a say in all of this. Zak Ketterson, Bloomington Jefferson, is the top ranked skier (and may again miss the State Meet given his immense talent). Alex Larson, Bloomington Kennedy, John Thies, Eden Prairie, and William Kerker, Minneapolis Southwest, will be the leading candidates for second. The girls battle for the section crown could be very tight with Skyler Tupper, Washburn, and Lily Richmond, Minneapolis Southwest, the youthful leaders.

Section 3:
Highland Park’s Erin Moening is the clear favorite for the girls title, and with an improving team of young skiers, should return to State. Val Hart, SPA, and Elsa Ubel, Minnehaha Academy, are some of best in the race for second best. The SPA girls have the inside track for the second spot in qualifying for State. The boys contest will be interesting to follow, as Tyler Radtke, Minnehaha Academy, teammate Sam Myers, and Harry Pretel, Highland Park, are some of the early favorites. Boys teams Minnehaha Academy and St. Paul Central will have eyes on the State Meet.

Erin Moening (1st), Ellen McCarthy (3rd), Kelly Koch (2nd), Section 3, February 3, 2015

Section 4:
Quite likely there will be a top ten ranked team in this section that won’t be making the trip to State as an already competitive section gets worse this year. Stillwater superpower should punch the tickets for both boys and girls teams with some of the best talent in the state. Forest Lake will have to contend with very stiff competition from the newly added Roseville and Irondale girls teams, as well as the Irondale boys. The Stillwater girls have a stacked deck of strong skiers, and it will be interesting to see who rises to lead the way this season. Hoping to fend them all off, Hanna Torvi, Roseville, is the best of the returning girls. Sam Hanson, Stillwater, and Davis Long, Forest Lake, are the leading boys candidates, but expect pressure coming from Hanson’s Stillwater teammates, as well as Irondale’s McEwan Rodefeld.

Section 5:
Expect a wide open battle in this section as the playing field gets leveled this season. Andover has a strong track record of turning out top teams, as is our favorite to sweep the team section titles. Watch for the newcomers to this section, Mora, to provide some strong competition, as well as Champlin Park girls and Elk River boys. The individual titles are going to be very tough to call within this conference. Front runners include Tom Woolhouse, Mora, Sam Anderson, Andover, and Ian Ivens, Champlin Park for the boys and Katie Breuckman, Andover, and Sadie Peterson for the girls.

Xavier Mansfield, Section 5, February 4, 2015
Section 6:
Another annual powerhouse, Wayzata enters this section and brings with it the ability take both girls and boys team titles. However, Robbinsdale Armstrong girls return a strong and deep squad and should top Wayzata for the section title. Keep an eye on the Hopkins gals, another legitimate top ten team, to pull a possible upset. The St. Louis Park boys should be the other team to advance to State. The individual battle for the girls will be very competitive with Michaela Keller-Miller, Wayzata, Amanda Kautzer, Benilde-St.Margaret’s, and Hannah Rudd, Robbinsdale Armstrong, all taking a shot at the top qualifying position. Xavier Mansfield, Minneapolis Patrick-Henry, will attempt to hold off Wayzata’s Anders Sonnesyn for the boys title.

Section 7:
Relatively unchanged this season, this section pits most of the northern powers. Duluth East will have strong competition to earn return trips for the boys and girls squads, as Mesabi East has the returning talent to also repeat their State Meet appearances. Ely and Grand Rapids may be the strongest contenders. The girls individual competition for the top spot will be fierce with Anna Johnson, Mesabi East, having to contend with Anja Maijala, C-E-C, and Erika Fox, also C-E-C, as well as Erin Bianco, Ely. The boys should be lead by Seth Prigge, Ely, with tight competition coming from Josh Jones, Mesabi East, Joe Rauzi, Duluth East, and Sam Olson, Proctor/Hermantown.

Section 8:
Little Falls seems to dominant this section most seasons, and expect them to be back on form this year. The Brainerd and Bemidji boys and girls teams will be battling for the remaining team spots in a close contest. Little Fall’s Kendal Hendrickson is the top returning girl, but expect competition from a number of athletes. Hunter Zupko, Little Falls, is the best of the boys field, with some seniors expected to make him earn that top spot.

Rankings Commentary

Michaela Keller-Miller, Section 2, February 5, 2015
Pre-season rankings are always a bit ugly. Start with a large amount of “past performance”, add in a little intuition, and finish with a sprinkling of old-fashion guessing. With the advent last year of the two-team section qualification to State, we had a lot better data to work with for the team rankings. As usual, most of the perennial superpower teams are back, with some shifting. The Robbinsdale Armstrong girls look to be a solid bet for finally winning State, but don’t rule out a Stillwater title sweep.

It’s the individuals that make the difference, and determining who “got religion” in their summer training is hard to know. The top of the heap is usually pretty solid, and putting Zak Ketterson as the number one is even easier than betting on American Pharoah. Expect a tough battle for second place, and quite possibly the actual State Meet title, as it may be decided between Xavier Mansfield, Davis Long, Patrick Acton, and Anders Sonnesyn.

The girls battle is going to be a real showdown as yet another strong field is expected this season. We’ve put Michaela Keller-Miller in the hot seat to start off the rankings, but Margie Freed and Erin Moening both have legitimate arguments for that number one spot. And just in the wings are a half dozen solid competitors, all vying for a podium spot, perhaps even the top spot this season.

Enjoy the pre-season rankings, and watch for our first rankings to come out hopefully in mid-December as racing gets underway.

Pre-Season Rankings

Individuals

Boys

  1. Zak Ketterson, Bloomington Jefferson, 12
  2. Xavier Mansfield, Mpls Patrick-Henry, 11
  3. Patrick Acton, Eagan, 11
  4. Anders Sonnesyn, Wayzata, 10
  5. Davis Long, Forest Lake, 12
  6. Seth Prigge, Ely, 12
  7. Sam Hanson, Stillwater, 12
  8. Josh Jones, Mesabi East, 11
  9. Hunter Zupko, Little Falls, 10
  10. Sam Olson, Proctor/Hermantown, 12

Cusp: Andrew Millan, Wayzata; Alex Larson, Bloomington Kennedy; Joe Rauzi, Duluth East; Ryan Steger, Eagan; William Kerker, Mpls Southwest; Spencer Krog, Mesabi East; Shad Kraftson, Stillwater; Nathan Blichfeldt, Burnsville; Kendall Hill, Duluth East; Tom Woolhouse, Mora; Samuel Myers, Minnehaha Academy; John Thies, Eden Prairie; Cole Helms, Ely; McEwan Rodefeld, Irondale

Girls

  1. Michaela Keller-Miller, Wayzata, 12
  2. Margie Freed, Eastview, 12
  3. Erin Moening, Highland Park, 11
  4. Anja Maijala, C-E-C, 11
  5. Kelly Koch, Burnsville, 10
  6. Amanda Kautzer, Benilde-St.Margaret’s, 12
  7. Anna Johnson, Mesabi East, 11
  8. Hannah Rudd, Robbinsdale Armstrong, 12
  9. Erika Fox, C-E-C, 11
  10. Hanna Torvi, Roseville, 12

Cusp: Renae Anderson, Hopkins; Rana Kraftson, Stillwater; Dottie Anderson, Robbinsdale Armstrong; Cecelia Peterson, Stillwater; Erin Bianco, Ely; Siri Bohacek, Stillwater; Hannah Bettendorf, Proctor/Hermantown; Kristine Keller-Miller, Wayzata; Emma Greenlee, Mesabi East; Mae Barnes, Robbinsdale Armstrong; Regan Duffy, Forest Lake; Leah Rudd, Robbinsdale Armstrong; Claire Benton, Hopkins

Teams

Boys

  1. Stillwater
  2. Minneapolis Southwest
  3. Duluth East
  4. Wayzata
  5. Forest Lake
  6. Irondale
  7. Mesabi East
  8. Minnehaha Academy
  9. Eagan
  10. St. Louis Park

Cusp: Eden Prairie, Winona/Cotter, St. Paul Central, Brainerd, Mora

Girls

  1. Robbinsdale Armstrong
  2. Stillwater
  3. Wayzata
  4. Eastview
  5. Duluth East
  6. Burnsville
  7. Mesabi East
  8. Hopkins
  9. Forest Lake
  10. St. Paul Highland

Cusp: Roseville Area, Ely, Irondale, Mora, Lakeville North

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